Strange Action

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Fri May 07, 2004 10:24 am

This odd little news item appeared at the bottom of the front page of the New Bedford Evening Standard, under a large story about the Manchester axe murder. This was two days after the Manchester murder and two days before Lizzie’s arrival in New Bedford for her trial.

The Evening Standard, New Bedford, Thursday, June 1, 1893, p. 1

"TRIED TO AVOID RECOGNITION

Strange Action of Man on the Road to Fall River

Superintendent of Construction Slade, of the Rotch mill in this city, reported today to Captain Allen of the police that about 615 o’clock yesterday morning he was coming to this city and when on the new road west of Smith Mills Village and near the ledge he passed a man going the other way. This man, Mr. Slade says, is named Will Davis, and he was brought up on the Somerset poor farm. He knows him well, and what surprised him was that when Davis approached he hung his head, did not once look up, and seemed desirous to avoid recognition. Mr. Slade had not previously seen the man for two years. He describes Davis as 30 years old, five feet eight inches tall, dark moustache and quite good build. The police here have telephoned the account received from Mr. Slade to the Fall River authorities."

For those of you not familiar with the New Bedford/Fall River area, “Smith Mills Village” is in Dartmouth.

Could this Will Davis be the same William Davis, son of Isaac C. Davis, with whom Morse was associated? Was someone trying to draw a connection between Davis and the Manchester murder?

Gramma · Post by **Gramma** » Fri May 07, 2004 11:17 am

Wow! Nice catch! Somerset is where John Vinnicum Morse was born and the Anthony Morse family resided until they relocated to Fall River. I think we need to do some more looking into this one!

Gramma

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri May 07, 2004 11:33 am

When we had Jeffery writing for us on the previous Forum, I asked him that question. He was working on a treatment of the Borden case which was similar to Fritz's article but without the incest. I worked with him a bit on sources etc, and I showed him the item you refer to and he said no that wasn't the William Davis we have lately become acquainted with..
His point I think was that Wm. Davis was not from a poor farm, and the description didn't fit. Our William Davis was older I believe, probably closer to 40. Hoffman has his birthyear as "1852?".
(Jeffery was sure in his answer, but he was also using the description in the witness statements).

I love these news bits- thanks for this one-

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Fri May 07, 2004 1:36 pm

Thanks, Kat for that info, but I've done enough historical research to not accept the claim of "Jeffrey from the previous forum" outright without cited sources. I'm not saying he's incorrect necessarily, but I'd need to see more than "this guy said this once."

Precisely how many Will/William Davises would have been wandering around between Dartmouth and Fall River in the 1892/1893 period? How long had Isaac Davis been blind? If it had been a long-time affliction he and his family might have been on a poor farm at some time. Are there Somerset Poor Farm records?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri May 07, 2004 5:19 pm

That's cool.
I did work with him for over a year and he left Stef and myself his manuscript.
Here is an excerpt from the archive:
5. "Re: William A. Davis"
Posted by jeffery on Apr-2nd-02 at 12:29 AM
In response to Message #1.

william arthur davis was born on august 6th 1851,
and died on may 7th 1900.
he died of a brain tumor and cancer of the neck.

6. "Re: William A. Davis"
Posted by Kat on Apr-2nd-02 at 2:12 AM
In response to Message #5.

Huh!

HOW did you find THIs out? Ask George Quigley?
Do you have a source? This is most interesting...especially if he died at that famed 1900-1902 mark, when all the major players had died by, practically... no new case can then be brought, with most of the characters gone.

7. "Re: William A. Davis"
Posted by jeffery on Apr-2nd-02 at 8:01 PM
In response to Message #6.

dear kat,
i got the information from the dartmouth city clerks office.
his death certificate lists him as a farmer.
his main occupation was "butcher".
william as well as john morse learned the butchers trade from william's father isaac case davis and william's uncle charles a. davis.
http://www.lizzieandrewborden.com/Archi ... /Davis.htm

There is another thread on William Davis as well.
Any more info is welcome, believe me!

Gramma · Post by **Gramma** » Fri May 07, 2004 7:15 pm

I, too, am inclined to be cautious about writing this off too quickly. Many farmers put children in the "poor farm" when things got really bad and they couldn't support the whole family. Then when things got better or a relative decided to take them they left. I would be reaally interested in any history on the poor farm at Somerset.

Gramma

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Sat May 08, 2004 10:08 am

To answer my own earlier question, the were a whole lot of William Davises wandering around in these parts back then. Don’t know if we’ll be able to sort all of them out.

Here’s “our” William Davis, the one John Morse stayed with.
1880 Census, Dartmouth, Bristol County, MA

William A. DAVIS, Self, Married, age 28, born in MA, Meat Pedlar
Sophia S. DAVIS, Wife, Married, age 26, born in MA, Housekeeping
Isaac C. DAVIS, Son, Single, age 2, born in MA
Alice P. DAVIS, Daughter, Single, age 5, born in MA
David R. WILCOX, Father-in-law, Widower, age 58, born in MA, Caulker

Pappa still headed his own household, as follows:

Isaac C. DAVIS, Self ,Married, age 63, born in MA, Butcher
Julia A. DAVIS, Wife, Married, age 58, born in MA ,Housekeeping
Sarah J. DAVIS, Daughter, Single, age 25, born in MA Living At Home
Wanton H. BEAURAIS, Son-in-law, Married, age 38, born in MA, Sailor
Amelia C. BEAURAIS, Daughter, Married, age 34, born in MA, At Home
Samuel J. TUCKER, Son-in-law, Married, age 31, born in MA, Meat Pedlar
Emma W. TUCKER, Daughter, Married, age 30, born in MA, At Home
Margaret P. C. TUCKER, Grand daughter, Single, age 9, born in MA
Betsey P. BAKER, Mother-in-law, Widow, age 89, born in MA
John F. HARRIS, Other, Single, age 14, born in MA, Work For School & Clothes
Manuel SILVA, Other, Single, age 20, born in AZORES, Farm Laborer

I deleted a few items to save space, all of the above are listed as White and their parents were all born in Massachusetts, except Wanton Beaurais’ father, France, and Both of Manuel Silva’s parents, Azores.

There is actually another Isaac C. Davis, age 54, in Dartmouth with a wife, in 1880. He’s listed as a farmer and that household just has the husband and wife.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sat May 08, 2004 10:33 am

Did Jeffery's birth date for William help?
Thanks for the info so far.
You are in a good position to very stuff and add more!

This William Davis is born abt. 1851/52. That means he is not the 30 year old Davis in the news item, correct?

I made up a William S Borden Tree, from J.'s manuscript- to show relationship back to Andrew for real- and verified it.
Would it be OT if I put it here? I can start a new topic if it doesn't belong.

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Sat May 08, 2004 10:42 am

The William A. Davis that Morse stayed with was not 30 in 1893, however, the 1893 news item is just that. Mr. Slade, whoever he is, says he knows this Will Davis, who is 30 and grew up on the Poor Farm. Mr. Slade might not have got the age right. I, personally, have a terrible time trying to estimate peoples' ages by looking at them.

diana · Post by **diana** » Sat May 08, 2004 8:19 pm

I'm delighted to be able to put a first name to the Miss Davis that John brought with him on his visit to the Borden's at the end of June 1892. Looks like Sarah J. would have been about 37 years old at that time -- right between Lizzie and Emma age-wise. Thanks, Christopher.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sat May 08, 2004 10:22 pm

Inquest
Morse
96+
Q. Did you stop all night then?
A. No Sir, came over in the morning and went back at night. I can tell all about that time if you want me to. There was a lady came over, Mr. Davis’ daughter, with me. We drove over in the afternoon. I hired a horse, and Mr. Borden’s daughter went to ride, we went down to the steam boat. I took her home after dark.
Q. Did you see much of Miss Lizzie when you came to the house?
A. Sometimes; sometimes I did not see either of the girls, stayed a few minutes and talked with Mr. Borden, and went out.
Q. Take the last time but one in July, when you went down to Boudray’s, did you see Miss Lizzie then?
A. I dont think I saw either of them at that time.
Q. Take the time before that, when Miss Davis came over with you, did you see the girls then?
A. I saw Emma; I went to ride, I told you.
Q. Did you see Lizzie?
A. I dont think I did.

Do you suppose it's possible, that since Knowlton asked the question using the form "Miss Davis", that it might also be the sister, Emma (who lived at home)?
Knowlton wouldn't know to call "Mr. Davis' daughter" anything other than a courtesy "Miss Davis."

diana · Post by **diana** » Sun May 09, 2004 1:47 am

Do you mean Emma Tucker? That's an interesting thought. I personally don't think Knowlton or Morse was referring to her.

John says Mr. Davis's daughter came over with him, he hired a horse, and Mr. Borden's daughter went to ride.

Knowlton asks John if he saw "the girls" (which I take to mean the Borden sisters) the time he came over with "Miss Davis". He responds to the question by saying he saw Emma but not Lizzie. He is also asked whether he saw "either of the girls" when he came the next time, in July, and says "I don't think I saw either of them at that time". So I'm thinking we're talking about the same two girls, Emma Borden and Lizzie Borden. I also think Morse might have corrected Knowlton and said it was Mrs. Tucker and not Miss Davis that was with him that day.

Also, do we know if Emma Tucker and her husband were still living at home with Isaac in 1892?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun May 09, 2004 10:11 pm

Under Isaac:
Emma W. TUCKER, Daughter, Married, age 30, born in MA, At Home

I think it could be either way.
I don't think that Morse would actually correct the impression of a Miss Davis.
Your interpretation is most probably correct, though
when I found that it wasn't Morse who named her as "Miss Davis", I thought Knowlton could be presuming (he doesn't know these people nor do we).
And I do thank FairhavenGuy for giving us family first names!

diana · Post by **diana** » Mon May 10, 2004 2:42 pm

Yes .. thanks to Fairhaven Guy for those first names!

The report that Emma Tucker lived with Isaac came from the 1880 census, right? I guess that's what made me wonder if she and her husband had left with their daughter and started their own household and she was no longer "at home" with her father by 1892. But even if they had moved out of Isaac’s home, Emma would still be the daughter of Mr. Davis. So Kat’s correct when she points out that -- when I claimed John was referring to Sarah Davis at the Inquest -- that was just my opinion.

It was interesting too, to see that William was married with two children. His son, Isaac would have been about 14 when the murders happened and probably often worked alongside his father.

Adilz's theory has William and Isaac conspiring with John as a result of a long-held grudge against Andrew involving a previous business deal. For some reason I envisioned William as a single man -- and he, Isaac Sr., and Morse spending a lot of time alone together -- giving John opportunities to inflame the Davis’s bitter feelings against Andrew. The fact that William had a family who might be jeopardized by his actions makes it even harder for me to imagine him planning to murder Andrew and Abby in cold blood.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Mon May 10, 2004 5:42 pm

That's an interesting take on the matter, Diana.
Also reading what you say makes me realize that is probably more people to keep quiet?
Does Mrs. Davis ask where all that extra money came from about the time some people were murdered in Fall River?